No Man’s Land

 

       

 1) The land where one gets after strenuous ups and downs

     The land which seems so silent , lonely  ,bare and inane

     The land where light darkens with pallid shades and slowly wanes

      The land of memories where one finally drowns

      The land which none can conquer and claim as own

      The land which everyone has to enter all alone.

 

 2)   Here one meets none but faces of faded past

       Here one plans no future but tends to review and brood;

       No hurried pace, no hasty tussles and feuds

        A somber sky with dense, dusky clouds overcast

        No beckoning smiles, no avenues new  

        Here one tries to look for known faces few.       

 

3)   Huge broken busts and unfinished, deserted deeds

      Shattered bits of unfulfilled foolish desires

      Suppressed ambitions like smoldering fires         

      Here the turbulent tempestuous gales slowly recede

       No strength now to chase wild geese but stay content

       One feels quite tired, lazy, exhausted and spent.

 

4)     No new ventures, no new hazards to attend

         Into the dark depths of past one’s mind descends

         A hiatus wide divides it from the modern trends

         No rush of competing schedules and twisting bends;

          A time to pause and ruminate our faults and flaws

          A time for restraint and understand Nature’s laws.

 

5)       No fruits of promising spring, no new affections bind

           A dragging pace weighed down by nostalgic load of thoughts

           In vortex of past pricking blunders one is caught

           A long line of memories hounding behind;

           Our innate foibles take on us a heavy toll

           As growing age controls and plays a dominant role.

 

6)       In our life’s crumpled dog-eared pages brown

          No thrilling surprises or adventures to find  

          Each one seems busy with one’s own duties assigned

          As years slip by unaware through ups and downs

          One can’t delve deep within one’s own self in fact

          Too obscure to see the hand of destiny behind our acts.

                  

7)       A time to contemplate with conscience cool

          Our past beyond our grip, no use to repent

          Treat them as lessons or opportunities god-sent

           No use of sulking or complaining like a fool

           Re-set your mind-set with a chastened attitude

           Treat this long journey as brief interlude.

 

 8)      Within this short duration remaining still

           A budding hope awaits to better thy attitude

           Absorb each moment with love and gratitude

           Follow the righteous path as best as you will

           Where this no man’s land will lead to no one can tell

           Thank God for everything and think all will be well. 

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            11th August, 2020                            Somaseshu Gutala

 

No Man’s Land – a phase in man’s life with no definite goal or destination. This phrase is used in the sense that one can’t understand the future before as old age is the last stage and what lies after is a closed mystery to our mortal eyes. It is a phase where one tries to recall and look back on his performance and acts. The blunders and faults one committed before loom large in one’s mind and one feels a sense of  guilt and solitude as no one can share one’s whole experiences with others since one can’t delve deep into one’s conscience so easily. One’s past habits and life style will have its repercussions at this stage. But one can’t change one’s past. A new future lies after this stage but it is beyond one’s understanding. This is the time for one to re-adjust one’s vision and behave with faith and maintain a sense of equilibrium and have trust in God’s merciful support and guidance.                                                 

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